Clinical Scientist - Radiotherapy Physicist (XR07)

Clinical Scientist - Radiotherapy Physicist (XR07)

Applications are invited for a permanent Band 7 Radiotherapy Physicist position in St James University Hospital, Leeds. The post will ideally suit candidates who are state registered as a Clinical Scientist or will achieve registration within 12 months of taking up the position.

The successful candidate will be highly motivated to support a broad range of radiotherapy physics activities, including treatment planning, dosimetry, imaging, equipment QA, as well as teaching of radiotherapy staff undergoing training. Research and innovation are at the heart of the service, with opportunities to be a part of many ongoing projects, including the development of high-dose rate FFF VMAT, equipment QA, extra-cranial SABR (including spine and hepatocellular), HDR and LDR Brachytherapy, Gamma Knife ICON SRS, imaging for radiotherapy as well as a large portfolio of local and national clinical trials.

The post offers excellent scope for gaining or broadening radiotherapy physics experience and for developing state-of-the-art radiotherapy.

Expected Shortlisting Date: 25/11/2024

Planned Interview Date: 05/12/2024

Main duties of the job

The post holder provides Medical Physics scientific support in a range of areas of work related to the day-to-day running of radiotherapy and brachytherapy. Functions include treatment planning, dosimetry, research and development, commissioning, quality assurance, imaging in radiotherapy, providing medical physics advice to clinical oncologists, radiographers and others, teaching and other support to the provision of radiotherapy as required. He or she is also expected to participate in the training programme of the department.

This post is based within the Gamma Knife Physics group of Radiotherapy Physics, but the post-holder is expected to be flexible, within their interests and the requirements of the service. Physicists can provide support to external beam, Gamma-Knife and/or brachytherapy treatment planning, as required. In that role, the post holder is responsible for checking the accuracy of patient treatment plans and also liaises between clinical oncologists, radiographers and planning staff to ensure that the patient receives the best available treatment.

About us

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the largest and busiest acute hospital trusts in the UK. We are committed to delivering the highest quality and safest treatment and care to every patient, every time. Our staff helped to define the values and behaviours that we should work to so that we can achieve this vision. This has become known as The Leeds Way, and forms the foundation of our culture, our ethos and how we work every day.

The radiotherapy service in St James treats over 7500 new radiotherapy patients per annum. The centre is equipped with the latest technology, including 12 Versa HDs, RayStation treatment planning, a Flexitron HDR remote afterloading platform for advanced image guided brachytherapy, I-125 prostate brachytherapy service and Gamma Knife ICON. The managed equipment service was recently renewed, ensuring equipment replacement and comprehensive support for the next 15 years.

Job responsibilities

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY (Some of these areas)

1. Treatment Planning
2. Equipment and Treatment Dosimetry and QA
3. Clinical Service Development
4. Brachytherapy
5. General
6. Teaching and training
7. Research and Development
8. Professional

The post holder works alongside other users of clinical technology and radiotherapy dosimetry data, including clinical service managers, clinicians, clinical scientists, radiotherapy physicists, clinical technologists and radiographers. There is frequent liaison with clinicians and other clinical scientists and radiotherapy physicists to ensure that services are consistent with clinical, scientific, technical, legislative and quality requirements. It is necessary to communicate complex information on a daily basis, for example regarding patient treatment plans.

Person Specification

Skills & behaviours

• To act at all times in a professional manner, showing courtesy and respect for other staff and patients.
• Maintain patient dignity and confidentiality.
• Ability to work flexibly.
• Ability to cope with large and variable workload.
• Ability to make decisions quickly and accurately in a stressful situation, e.g. about a patient in pain or anaesthetised.

Experience

• Qualifications, knowledge and experience to act as an Operator under IR(ME)R within the field of radiotherapy.
• Specialist knowledge and practical experience of main areas of radiotherapy physics.
• Understanding patient progress through radiotherapy and the requirements of a radiotherapy physics service to ensure that it is performed in a safe and accurate manner.
• Detailed understanding of patient and staff risks arising from the use of ionising radiation for radiotherapy.
• Understanding of relevant legislation, national standards, codes of practice, professional and other guidelines.
• Qualifications, knowledge and experience to act as Referrer and Practitioner for concomitant doses.

Qualifications

• Good (1st or 2nd class) honours degree in a relevant subject.
• MSc or equivalent in radiotherapy physics [or equivalent field].
• State registration as a Clinical Scientist, or working to achieve registration within 12 months of recruitment.
• Appropriate post-grad training within structured programme including radiotherapy physics and/or imaging for radiotherapy (MR an advantage) e.g. IPEM Clin Scientist Training Scheme or MSC or STP.
• PhD.
• Corporate Membership of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM).

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.